By Noureddine Omar | 2025-08-13

A five-member Iranian delegation, including nuclear experts tied to the country's weapons-related research program, visited Russian laboratories specializing in dual-use technologies last year, according to a Financial Times investigation published August 5.

Experts say the cooperation could accelerate Iran's nuclear weapons development timeline despite Tehran's public claims of peaceful intentions.

The delegation used the private consulting firm DamavandTec as cover. It included members tied to Iran's Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), considered the successor to the country's pre-2004 nuclear weapons program.

During their August 2024 visit, the Iranians expressed interest in acquiring radioactive isotopes, the investigation revealed.

They sought three, including tritium, in a letter to a Russian supplier, though there is no evidence the request was fulfilled.

"This technology accelerates the acquisition of nuclear weapons, specifically nuclear warheads," military expert Wael Abdul Muttalib told Al-Fassel.

He noted that Russia ranks among the world's most advanced producers of dual-use nuclear technologies.

Abdul Muttalib highlighted the troubling implications of Iran's pursuit of materials like tritium, which are essential for enhancing nuclear warhead yields.

Any Iranian attempt to acquire these technologies "would increase tensions not only in the Middle East but also globally, at a time when many countries are working to halt nuclear weapons proliferation and preserve international security," he warned.

Global concerns

Experts see the 2024 visit as further deepening the longstanding Moscow-Tehran partnership, rooted in shared opposition to Western policies.

"Iranian-Russian cooperation in the nuclear domain is neither surprising nor new," international affairs expert Sayed Ali told Al-Fassel. "Their interests have intersected multiple times and in several countries."

This partnership allows Moscow "to settle political scores with various Western nations that also oppose Iranian plans," Ali added.

He cautioned that Russian nuclear technology transfers may occur "under the guise of peaceful nuclear energy, which could obstruct inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency."

Such camouflaged cooperation "would pave the way for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons and build an arsenal of ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads in the near future," Ali warned.

The timing is especially concerning given Iran's existing military capabilities and willingness to use them. "The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) boasts a large inventory of medium- and long-range missiles," Ali noted.

Without urgent international action to prevent potential nuclear technology acquisition, "the Middle East will remain unstable, and many countries will feel constantly threatened," he said.